Locking mechanism



2 lsheet-.s-sheet 1 l- 1g w i@ "EN" W il INVENTOH K Filed July 25,

Aug. 7, 1923.

n.. R. LE TAN@ LOCKING MECHANISM Filed July 28, sheets-sheet 2 Nav ynism which is normally Patented Aug. 7, 1923.

lattanti@ LEO R. LE TANG, OF CINCNNATI, OHIO.

Locxrne traer-initiiert.

Application led July 28, 1921. Serial No. 488,226.

To `all' whom t may con/cera.

Be it known that I, Lno R. Ln Tano, a citizen ofthe United States, residing` at Cincinnati, in the county ol: Hamilton and State orn Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locking Mechanism, of which the following` is a specilication.

l have exemplified my invention as applied to a votive stand. Quite a number ot thefts have ta-lren'plaee recently from `the coin-receptacles of votive stands, as well as from poor boxes, and it is the'objcct ot my invention to provide a new and improved locking mechanism applicable to such coinreceptacles, vto poor boxes, and to recep tacles of various` kinds.

lt is the object ot my invention further to provide novel means whereby unlawitul access to the interior of boxes or receptacles is made extremely difficult or precluded;

further, to provide primary lool-ting' mecharged into locking` relation; further, to provide auxiliary loclringmechanism which is made eiiiective by f removal ot a portion of the primary locking;`

mechanism.; and, further, to provide novel means tor connecting' the parts of a receptacle for rendering unlawful access thereto diflicult or prohibitive.

The invention will be further readily understood from the following description and claims, and from the drawings, in which latter:

Fig. l represents a front elevation of my improved mechanism shown in connection with a votive stand.

F ig. 2 is an axial section of my improved mechanism, in the plane of the irregular line 2 2 of 3, partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is an axial section ot the same, taken in the plane of the irregular line 3 3 of Fig. 2, partly brolren away.

Figl is a cross-section ot the saine taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional detail of the same, taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

F ig. 6 is a side elevation of the closure for the receptacle, partly broken away.

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of my improved device, partly broken away, with the body of the casing in axial section on the line 7 7 of Fig. il, to illustrate the interior mec-hanism. p

Fig. 8 is a detail in cross-section, taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a detail in cross-section, taken on the line 9 9 of F ig. 3.

F ig. l0 is an axial section of the primary bolt mechanism taken on the line lO-l() ot Fig. 7. y

F ig. ll is an axial section of the auxiliary bolt mechanism, take-n on the line 11-11 of Fig'. 7. y

` Fig. l2 is a sectional detail showing the connection between the body of the container and one of its end walls.

F ig. 13 is a sectional detail showing the connection between the body of the container and its closure; and,

Fig. 14: is a perspective view of the inner shield.

The votive stand, to which my invention. is exemplified as applied, comprises a body 2l, and a superstructure 22, carrying suitable candle-holders 28, the body being supported by legs 24 connected by braces 2775, 26. The i votive stand is provided with a coin-opening 27, for offerings, communicating with a coin chute 2O, the coin-chute communicating with a coin-receptacle 30 for directing the coin received through the coin-opening into the receptacle. The receptacle 30 may exemplify any money box or receptacle in whatever relation employed. The lower end or the coin-chute is received in a slot 8l in the coin-receptacle, and is'held in place bly a flange 32 supported on the wall of the s ot.

The coin-receptacle is exemplified as coinprising` a body 35, an end wall 36, and a closure` 37. rhe body is shown cylindrical, and the body, end wall and closure are preferably formed ot metal of substantial thiclrness and of a character to render tampering' with the same ditlicult. The receptacle may for instance be composed of steel.

The end wall is provided with an inwardly extending annular flange 39, (see Fig. 12) which is received inside of the end ot' the body, and with a laterally extending annular flange 40 'forming a shoulder 4l received against the end `face of the body.

The body is adjacent to its upper endprovided with an annular bead 43. A ring ist surrounds the upper end of the body and the depending annular flange of the end wall. This ring is shown formed as part of the upper brace 25 between the legs of the stand, the upper bracel having a series of arms 45 rigid therewith, corresponding in number with the legs of the stand, there llO being for instance three. The outer ends of the arms 45 are provided with bearings d6 about the legs.

The end wall is secured to the body, for instance by means of screws i7 passing y through flange 39, the upper end of the body and the ring, the head of the screw being preferably inside the receptacle, and, Iits outer end terminating inside the outer face of the ring.

The body is provided with an opening 5l, the wall of which is threaded as shown at 52, (see Figs. 7 and 13). The closure is provided with an inwardly extending annular flange 53 having external threads 54 received within the threaded wall of the opening in the body. The closure further has an outwardly laterally extending annular flange 55 received against the end of the wall of the opening, shown at the lower end of the body.

A lower ring 58 surrounds the lower end of the body and the upwardly extending annular flange of the closure. This ring may be part of the lower brace 26 between the legs of the stand and have arms 59 extending therefrom which terminate in bearings 60, about the legs. Thelower end of the body and the ring are preferably secured together, as by means of screws 6l received through the lower end of the body and into the lower ring, preferably from the inside of the body. The outer' end of the screws terminate in advance of the outer wall of the ring. The internal threads 52 are interrupted by holes in which the heads of the screws 61 are countersunk beyond the depths of the threads.

Vhen the parts are assembled, the bead 43 preferably contacts the upper ring The bearings 46, 60, of the braces of the stand are rigidly secured to the legs as by means` of pins 63, 64, received through the respective bearings and the legs.

A shield 67 of cup-form is arranged to be received about the closure and the lower edge of the body, and encompasses the joint between the lower edge of the body and the laterally extending flange 55 of the bottom orr closure. Its inner edge is received in an annular rabbet 68 in the ring 58. The bottom or closure is provided with a depending lug 69, provided with an axially threaded bore 70 at its lower end, for receiving a screw 71 for securing the shield in place.

For ornamental purposes the shield and head of the screw as well as the upper face ofthe top may be finished in burnished. brass and the vrings and legs may be given a white finish.

It will be noted that the securing means between the upper end of the body and the top andv between the lower end of the body and the closure or bottom are surrounded by protective rings. The rings and the ends of the body are secured together by concealed fastening means which terminate inside the outer face of the rings, the fastening means being concealed within the rings.

I provide locking means within the receptacle for the releasable closure of the receptacle, the locking means being held in place by fastening devices which terminate within the outer surface of the receptacle. Exemplifying these locking means, I provide a. bolt 75 which is arranged to bereceived in a hole 76 extending across the threads between the closure and the walll of.` the opening therefor, for forming a keeper for the bolt, preferably so arranged that the bolt when engaged in the keeper straddles the threads between the closure and the wall of the opening to securely lock the closure to the body. This arrangement is clearly shown in Figs. 5, 6, and l0. Thebolt has reciprocating movement in a bearing 77, xed to the inner face of the wall of the body, as by locating the same in a bearingpiece 78, secured to the wall of the body by means of screws 79, received through the bearing-piece and threaded into the wall of the body but terminating inside of the outside surface of saidwall, sothat the outside of the wall remains integral.

by means of a helical spring 81, surrounding a reduced shank 82 of the bolt, and located between a shoulder 83 on the boltv and a shoulder 84 on the bearing. (See Figs. 9 and 10.) The shank is preferably integral with the bolt, and means are provided for preventing turning of the bolt, as by providing the shank with a flat'side 85 coacting` with a complemental flat edge 86 on the shoulder 84.

The bolt is preferably provided with a yoke 88 which is shown threaded to the bolt, as shown at 89. The yoke encompasses a lock 91. The bolt` 92 thereofis arranged to make contact with the yoke for moving the same. The loclrniay be any usual good lock adaptable for the purpose, provided preferably with a tube 93 and shank 94y havingY a key-slot 95 therein. The lock is secured to the wall of the receptacle from the inside of the receptacle, as by means of screws 96 passing through the casingof the lock and threaded into the inner portion of the wail of the receptacle, the screws terminating in advance of the outer face of the wall of the receptacle, so that the outer surfaceof the wall remains integral.

The tube of the lock is the only portion of the lock which extendsfto theouter surface of the receptacle, this being necessary for theVA insertion of a key for operation of the lock;

The bolt 92 of the lock is caused to operate,

theyoke 88, which in turn operates-the-,bolt 75 in the. arrangementk shown. bolt 92 of the lock is withdrawn, that is,

The bolt is exemplified as urged into locking relation When thev placed in its ordinary unlocked relation, the bolt operated ythereby is placed in locked relation. The locked relation of the bolt 75 is urged by Jche spring 81. This spring `is within the `receptacle and in' protected re` lation therein so as to normally cause locked relation of the bolt 75. The walls respectively in the body and the closure to form the hole 76, which forms the walls of the keeper for the bolt 75, are brought into registry with each other at each revolution of the closure in unthreading the same, and the bolt is urged into engagement with those walls each time such registry is effected.

In opening the closure, the bolt 92of the lock 91 is caused to be moved outwardly, which would correspond to its normal locked relation, which thereby moves the yoke and the bolt 75 into unlocked relation.

Auxiliary to this main locking and un locking mechanism, a bolt 101 is normally held in unlocked relation, but is arranged to be urged into a notch 102 in the flange 53 of the closure, the walls of which notch form a keeper for the bolt. The bolt is axially movable in a bearing v103 formed on the bearing-piece 7 8, and is normallyI urged toward the closure by means of a helical spring 105, which surrounds a shank 106 rigid with the bolt between a shoulder 107 on the bolt anda shoulder 108 formed on the bearing 103, flat sides 113, 114, preventing turning of the extension.

An extension 109 of the bolt has threaded connection 110l with the bolt, and is prevented from. turning, as by soldering the connection, and is provided with a laterally extending pin 111, which is received in a slot 112 in the casing of the lock 91. The bolt 101 is held in withdrawn relation from its keeper by means of the pin connection with the wall of the slot 112 solong as the lock 91 is in position. Should, however, the lock 91 be forced away from the wall of the casing, or removed, for instance, by the act of driving in the tube 93 of the lock, the bolt. 101 will immediately become effective to lock the closure from the inside of t-he receptacle by engagement of the bolt in its keeper 102, urged thereto by the spring 105, for holding the closure in locked relation in the receptacle. If the bolt 101 should rest against the end of flange 53, the turning of the closure in unthreading the saine will cause entering of the bolt 101 into the keeper 102 at each revolution of the closure.

The slot 112 extends through the front wall of the lock 91, the pin 111 being ad-` jacent to the. inner face of the wall of the receptacle and free of connection with the lock, except that the lock 91 holds the bolt 101 in unlocked relation. Displacement or removal of the lock 91 will cause the bolt 1.01 to engage its keeper.

In order to shield the locking `parts from contact by the coin in the receptacle, I provide a shield 115, which may be a sheet. of metal inclosing the locking parts, and provided with flanges 116 through which screws 117 are received and threaded into the inner portion of'the wall of the receptacle, the outer ends of these screws termr nating inside the outer surfaceA of said wall.

The shield preferably has an apron 118V which depends sumciently to cover the keepers in the closure, the apron being received inside the annular Harige 53 andghaving shoulders 119, which are close to the end of said {iange when the closure is in closed relation. The upper end 4of the shield is preferably slanted upwardly with its upper edge rounded, as shown by the flange 120, to contact the inner face of the wall ofthe receptacle. f

A coiny deflector 124 is received across the coin-slot in the top of the receptacle, and is secured to the inner face of said top, as by screws 125 threaded into the top and terminating within the outer face of the top. There is a coin-passage 126 between the coin- `deflector and the wall of the receptacle above the slanting top of the shield which deects the coin away from the lockingv mechanism.

If it is desired to obtain legitimate access to the interior of the receptacle, the key for the lock 91 is employed for moving the bolt 92 ofthe lock outwardly and thereby withdrawing the bolt 101 out of range of the closure. ing and removing the shield 67, giving access to the closure. and unthreaded from its` engagement with the body of the receptacle and the money in ceptacle, one of said marks being shown on rthe closure at 128 in Fig. 7

All of the closing means for the receptacle and the -locking means therefor are held in place by concealed connections, so that removal of the receptacle from the stand and opening of the receptacle by ordinary means is precluded. If an attempt should be made The screw 71 is turned for `releas` The closure is then turned" icoy the receptacle removed. The closure is then to gain access to the 'receptacle by forcing i in the tube 93 and removing the lock 91, the movement of the lock away fro-m the wall of the receptacle to which it is secured will cause release of the pin 111 from the slot 112 inthe lock, whereby the auxiliary bolt lOl is released and brought into act-ion for locking the closure, so thateven if the lock were removed, the closure would be still locked by the auxiliary mechanism, and, furthermore, the removal of the `lock would leave the bolt 75 iii locked relation. Access to the interior of the receptacleis therefore rendered extremely difficult, so d-iiiicult in fact that access into the receptacle would be precluded. The presence of the shield 115 inside the reA ceptacle is an additional safeguard for protecting tbe locking mechanism.

vHaving thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l'. In locking mechanism, 'the combination of a body, aV closure therefor, a primary bolt coacting with said closure, a bearing on the inside of said body in which said primary bolt reciprocates, av lock secured at the inside of said body, said lock comprising a lock-bolt, a yoke about said lock. said yoke having attachment with said primary bolt and arranged to be operated by said lockbolt, an auxiliary bolt coacting with said closure, and releasable connecting means be tween said'auxiliary bolt and said `lock to normally hold said auxiliary bolt in unlocking relation tov said closure and arranged to release said auxiliary bolt by removal oi' said lock. y

2j In locking mechanism, the combination of a body, a rotatable closureior said body, connecting means between said closure and saidv body" brought intoconnecting relation by rotation of said closure', a primary bolt to lock said closure, a lock to operatesaid primary bolt, an auxiliary bolt for said closure, and releasable means vbetween said auxiliary bolt and said lock to normally hold said auxiliary bolt in unlocking relation.

3. In lockingmechanism, the combination of a body, a rotatable closure for said body, connecting means between said closure and' said body brought into connecting relation by rotation of said closure, a primary bolt, an auxiliary bolt, bearings on the inside of said body inv which said bolts reciprocate, a lock secured on the inside of saidbody, said lock comprising a lock-bolt, connecting means between said primary bolt and said lock-boltto operate said primary bolt and re-V leasable connecting means between said auxiliary bolt and said lock to normally hold said auxiliary bolt in unlocking relation a-nd tol cause its locking relation by release of said releasable connecting means. i 4t. In locking mechanism, the combinatio i of a body, a rotatable closure for said body,

to operate said primary bolt, and releasable` connecting means between said auxiliary bolt and said lockto normally hold said auxiliary bolt in unlocking relation and to cause its locking relation-by release of said releasable connecting means;

5. In locking mechanism, the combination ora body, a closure therefor, a primary bolt, an auxiliary bolt, keeping means onsaid closure' for said bolts, a lock on the inside of said body, connecting' means between said lock and said primary bolt whereby to operate said primary bolt by means of said lock, said lockliaving a: key-tube exposed outside said body, the bodyy of said lock provided with a slot openingV toward the inner face of said body, and a pin on said auxiliary bolt received in said slotlto normally hold said auxiliary bolt out'of'range of said keeping means and arranged to vslip out ofi said slot by inward movement oitv said lock.

"In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. y l

' LEG R. LE TANG.

In presence of:

Louis T. MURPHY, DELMA INTERNSING. 

